Oscillating sprinkler



June 23, 1931. w. A. BUCKNER 1,311,171

OSCILLATING SPRINKLER Filed Jan. 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W AB u vlcner i PatentedJune 23, 1931- WILLIAM A.. nucx'nnn, or rnnsno,CALIFORNIA 'OSGILLATI-NG SPRINKLER Application filed January 25, 1930.Serial Ho. 423,885.

This invention relates to sprinklers intended to be mounted inconnection with under:

ground piping systems as used on golf courses, parks and the like; andparticularly 6 deals with a sprinkler to be used in cases where it isdesired that the sprinkler shall turn so as to distribute water over aconsiderable area surrounding the sprinkler, but where it is notdesirable that the sprinkler 10 shall make a complete revolution..Co1idi-' tions where such sprinklers are of value are in the wateringof putting greens for instance, where it is desired to waterthe greenwithout throwing water into the surrounding sand traps; or for wateringlawns adjacent walks or roads without wetting the latter.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler for thispurpose so 0011'- structed that the sprinkler head will be keptconstantly and automatically oscillated through an arc of predeterminedlength by the action of the pressure of the water passing through andemerging from the nozzle of the sprinkler. T

A further object is to provide a simple means whereby the are throughwhichthe sprinkler head may turn and oscillate may be easily adjusted tosuit different conditions.

Sprinklers of this or the full-turn slowmotion type develop a tendencyto occasionally stick so that the sprinkler head turns alternately fastand slow, or whips, and the sprinkler will not then of course give theeven distribution of water over the area .being sprinkled which isdesired. I have determined that this sticking and consequent whippingaction is due to the distortion of the water sealing gasket or washernecessarily used between the relatively fixed and rotating parts of thesprinkler. A further object of the invention therefore is to provide anovel washer for the purpose, which, while having the desired andnecessary water sealing properties, cannot become distorted in shapewith wear or under the pressure to which it is subjected in service. Aneven speed of rotation of the sprinkler at all times is thereforeassured.

A further object of the invention is to proin the above position.

duce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will'beexceedingly effective for the urpose for which it is designed.

T ese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the 'drawingssimilar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views: a

lfig; -1 is'a side elevation of my improved spr nkler partly in sectionshown at one end of its oscillating stroke.

F g. 2 IS a top plan view of the sprinkler Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the sprinkler when at the other end of itsoscillating stroke.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a special nondist-orting washer.

F g. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the sprinkler structure itself is mounted and driven orrotated in a similar manner to the mod fied form of sprinkler shown inmy copendlng application for Patent, Serial No. 352,380, filed April 4,1929. It comprises a member 1 serving as a fixed connection between theintake pipe 2 depending from said member, and a hollow spindle 3upstanding from the same; all these parts being mounted so as to berigid and immovable relative to each other. Turnable and slidable on thespindle is a cup 4 provided on its inner time with verticalcircumferentially spaced vanes 5.

and spindle-engaging bore of the cup as the latter rises and engagessaid washer when water under pressure enters the cup through the outlets7 As indicated in the preamble of this specification this washer is ofspecial form and comprises a central ring 8 of leather or similarflexible material so as to make a good seal, and outer and inner rigidrings 9 of a metal such as brass, and which closely engage-the outer andinner peripheries of the leather ring. The leather is initially made sothat it is slightly deeper than the metal rings, so that only theleather will en-' gage the head and cup surfaces. As the washer wears inservice however the brass of which the rings are made wears down fasterthan the leather, thus always keeping the leather exposed for properengagement with said surfaces. By reason of this special constructionthe leather can never wear or be distorted so as to be out of round andthus pinch the spindle and induce an uneven speed of rotation of the cupto be had.

Fixed on the cup in a water-tight manner is a cap 10 from one side ofwhich a hollow nozzle arm 11 projects radially and upwardly. On theouter end of this arm is the main nozzle 12, whose axis is slightlyoffset from a line radially of the cup and spindle in a direction suchthat the reactionary effect of the stream 13 of water issuing from saidnozzle will aid in the rotation of the sprinkler had by the action ofthe water emerging from the outlets 7 and impinging against the cupvanes.

An additional nozzle 14 disposed on a somewhat higher level than thenozzle 12 but substantially parallel thereto is secured on the outer endof a pipe 15 which is connected to the top of the cap 10 by an elbowfitting l6. This fitting can be adjustably rotated in the cap, and thepipe in the fitting, so as to alter the horizontal angular setting ofthe nozzle 14 relative to the nozzle 12 if desired. This nozzle 14 isarranged so as to water an area closer to the sprinkler than the nozzle12 and by adjusting the same in the manner above. indicatedthe speed ofrotation of the sprinkler head may be altered. The cup and parts mountedthereon constitute the rotary sprinkler head as a whole and to cause thesame to rotate and oscillate through an arc of predetermined length, Iprovide the following mechanism.

Extending lengthwise and under the arm 11 is a lever 17, pivotallyconnected intermediate its ends to said arm. The end of the levernearest the cap 10 rides freely in the crotch of a yoke 18 which ispivoted on a pin 19 projecting radially from the cap below the plane ofthe lever. This yoke has an arm 20 depending below the pivotal pin 19and adapted to move between and alternately engage radial stops 21projecting outwardly from a flange 22 formed on the member l concentricwith the spindle. These stops are preferably in the form of cap 5 screwsremovably mounted in the flange so as to be plac-eable at a movement ofdifferent circlunferentially spaced positions, the said flange beingtapped to receive the screws at a number of such positions, as clearlyindicated in Fig. 2. This adjustment of the stops enables the length ofthe stroke through which the sprinkler head may turn between theengagement of the arm 20 with the spaced stops to be altered to suitdiiferent conditions.

If one stop is removed entirely the sprinkler head will rotate nearlythrough a complete revolution and if both are removed, the head willcontinue to rotate in a single direction. The sprinkler may therefore beused for oscillating or continuous rotation.

purposes, as may bedesired. The upper end of the yoke is arranged toengage the arm 11 at the limits of a somewhat short rocking movement ofthe yoke and its arm so that the engagement of the yoke arm with eitherstop will positively prevent further rotation of the sprinkler head. Theouter end of the lever 17 extends beyond the outer end of the nozzle 12some distance and is there provided with an upstanding deflector vane 28rigid therewith. This vane is disposed so that when the arm yoke hasengaged one of the stops and the yoke is at its limit of movement in acorresponding direction, the vane will be clear of the stream 13 issuingfrom the nozzle 12, asshown inFig. 2. On the other hand when the yokearm engages the other stop and the yoke is at its limit of movement inthe corresponding and opposite di rection. the vane will then projectacross the path of the stream and will be disposed at an acute anglethereto, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The angular setting of thedeflector is such that the force of the water issuing from the nozzleand impinging against the deflector causes the lever, and consequentlythe sprinkler head, to be rotated in a direction such as will move theyoke arm away from the stop with which it was just engaged and towardthe other stop. This direction also is opposite to that in which thesprinkler head is normally rotated by the direct and reactionary drivemeans; the pressure of the water issuing from the nozzle and impingingagainst the deflector having a greater rotative effect than that of thepositive drive means, so that the action of the latter is temporarilyovercome or negatived.

' lVith the rotation of the head in the above direction the yoke armfinally approaches and engages the other stop, and due to the force ormomentum of rotation the yoke will swing to its opposite limit ofmomement, such swinging being aided by a weight 24 formed on one of theyoke arms. This weight prevents a possible sticking of the yoke andlever which would prevent the deflector from being moved out of thewater stream, since the pressure of the water against said deflector hasa tendency to hold the lever and yoke against movement in the oppositedirection. This last named swin 'ng of the yoke rocks the lever so-thatthe eflector vane moves clear of the path of the stream 12 issuing fromthe nozzle. The normal direction of rotation of the sprinkler is thenresumed, since the negativing driving force has been eliminated and thehead then rotates in such direction until the yoke arm again reaches andengages the other stop, whereupon the yoke swings over so that thedeflectorvane is again moved into the path of the nozzle stream. Thehead is then again reversed in its direction of rotation and theoscillating movement of the sprinkler through the definite areestablished by the setting of the stop pins therefore continues as longas the water is turned on.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a -device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A sprinkler including arotatable sprinkler head having a substantially radial nozzle armterminating at its outer end in a radial discharge opening, meanstending to constantly rotate the head in one direction, a deflector vanemounted in connection with the arm and movable into and out of the pathof the stream issuing from the opening; said vane when in the streambeing positioned to cause the water impinging against the same to rotatethe head in the direction opposite to that imparted thereto by saidfirst named rotating means, fixed stops spaced circumferentiallyrelative to the axis of the head, a member mounted on the head forengagement with the stops, and means between said member and vane foralternately moving the latter into and out of the path of the stream assaid member alternately engages the stops.

2. A sprinkler including a rotatable sprinkler head, having asubstantially radial nozzle arm terminating at its outer end in a radialdischarge opening, means tending to constantly rotate the head in onedirection, a deflector vane movable into and out of the path .of thestream issuing from the opening, a lever extending lengthwise of andalon the arm and pivoted thereon, the vane being fixed on the outer endof the lever and when in the stream being positioned to cause the waterimpinging on the vane to turn the lever and head in the directionopposite to that imparted thereto by the first named rotating means, ayoke member mounted on the head for limited rocking movement andengaging the lever to control the swinging movement of the lever andvane to positions where said vane is in or out of the stream, and meansgoverned by the arrival of the head at the limits of an arc ofpredetermined length for causing the yoke to be rocked in oppositedirections alternately.

3. A sprinkler including arotatable sprinkler head, having asubstantially radial nozzle arm terminating at its outer end in a radialdischarge opening, means tending to constantly rotate the head in onedirection, a deflector vane movable into and out of the path of thestream issuing from the opening, a lever extending lengthwise of andalong the arm and pivoted thereon, the vane being fixed on the outer endof the lever and when in the stream being positioned to cause the Waterimpinging on the vane to turn the lever and head in the directionopposite to that imparted thereto by the first named rotating means, ayoke member mounted on the head for limited rocking movement andengaging the lever to control the swinging movement of the lever andvane to positions where .said vane isin or out of the stream, fixedstops spaced circumferentially relative to the axis of the head, and amember depending from the yoke and movable between the stops with 1 therotation of the head whereby to cause the yoke to be rocked in" onedirection or the other as the said member engages one or the other ofthe stops.

4. A structure as in claim 2, with a weight provided on the yoke andpositioned to aid in the rocking of the same in that direction whichwill move the vane out of the path of the stream.

5. A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzlepositioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, meansactuated by the pressure of the water flowing through the head-towardthe nozzle tending to constantly rotate the head in one direction,separate means actuated by the flow of water from the nozzle forrotating the head in the opposite direction only after the rotativetendency of the first named means has been overcome, and meansfunctioning with the rotation of the head in one direction or the otherfor alternately rendering said second named means active or inactive.

6. A structure as in claim 5, in which said separate means includes adeflector vane arranged, only when said means is functioning, to projectinto the stream issuing from and adjacent the nozzle whereby to break upthe stream.

7 A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzlepositioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, meansto rotate the head in one direction, the flow from the nozzle being thenunobstructed, separate means to rotate the head tion, and at a certainspeed, separate means in the opposite direction, saidseparate meansincluding an element then projecting into the stream issuing from andadjacent the nozzle whereby to break up the stream, and meansautomatically functioning torender the head rotating means alternatelyeflective.

8. A sprinkler having a rotatable sprinkler head which includes a nozzlepositioned to discharge in a substantially horizontal direction, meansto rotate the head in one directo rotate the head in the oppositedirection and at a lesser speed, and means functioning with the rotationof the head torender the head rotating means alternately effective.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature;

WILLIAM A. BUCKN ER. v

